Challenger of the Week: John McNasby

“I have a whole new life now. And I discovered how strong I really am.”

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John McNasbyAGE: 35OCCUPATION: Loss Prevention AnalystHOMETOWN: PhiladelphiaFAMILY: SingleRW CHALLENGE GOAL: Walt Disney World’s 2014 Dopey ChallengeExperience: I've finished eight half-marathons and two full marathonsWhat prompted you to start working out? After my divorce in 2012, I let myself get too heavy and my blood pressure was horrific. I was 225 pounds and when I did a 5-K, it took me 49 minutes. Afterward, I took a good look in the mirror. I realized I had turned to alcohol and chicken wings as an answer to my problems. I decided to become a runner.How did you start? I bought running books by Dean Karnazes and Jeff Galloway and the story of Steve Prefontaine. I went to a local running store and got a gait analysis and got fitted for shoes. I bought all the gear and picked a training plan and a race. Then I went to a nutritionist. I ran my first half-marathon in August 2012, my first full marathon in January of this year, and in January 2014 I’m doing the Dopey Challenge.What's your regular workout routine? I wake up at 4:30 a.m. and go for a morning jog of two miles. After work, I do my scheduled run. Twice a week I cross-train with cycling and some core workouts. On Sunday I run long. I do it at a different place each week to keep it fresh. In the past, I woke up 30 minutes before work, and spent another two hours with no energy. I started doing those two-milers before work as a way to wake up. I feel alive after I run. And that way, no matter what happens that day, I got a small run in. They are the slowest two miles I run these days—usually two minutes per mile slower than my race pace. So 20 minutes and two miles every morning is my version of morning coffee.What was the biggest hurdle to training and how did you get over it? Those first few weeks, when I could hardly breathe after running for 30 seconds and I truly realized how out of shape I was and how much it was going to take to get to that first finish line. I got over it by realizing that I was lucky to have the chance to start over and make changes in my life. I just kept telling myself the pain and sweat would be worth it.What's the most rewarding part of your running life? My parents try to go to all of my races and they look at me with such a look of pride. No matter how badly my race goes, it doesn’t matter because they are proud.Did you have a weight-loss goal? I started at 225 pounds of chicken wings and vodka, and I had almost 30 percent body fat. Now am 172 pounds and less than 10 percent body fat.What kinds of changes did you make to what and how you ate? Wings, fat, liquor, candy bars, doughnuts—all that tasty stuff is gone. I also do not eat after a certain time. Never will I eat a meal or fatty foods within two hours of my bedtime. If I am craving a snack late at night, I’ll have a piece of fruit. I have a bigger breakfast than I used to so I stay fuller longer. Now, I also cook my own food at night and bring that for lunch instead of eating fast food every day. That makes a big difference. I have to eat smart, but I also have a cheat day. I always reward a long run with 10 wings and one drink. This has kept me sane. During the week I still ate my rice and pasta but stuck to whole grains and whole wheat. My snacks used to be over 300calories; a pack of cookies, a piece of pound cake. A Hershey Bar could always be found at my desk. Now my snack is a 100-calorie pack.What advice would you give to a beginner? Do not give up when it gets tough. It gets better. Those first few weeks may be dreadful, butyou can do it. And it will be the best feeling in the world to say you are a runner.What are your favorite mantras? "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." —John Bingham What’s your favorite piece of gear? My Brooks socks. I love their comfort and their padding, but they are not bulky.

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